THE Davao City Council approved on second reading Wednesday, April 10, the ordinance seeking to prohibit the releasing of balloon and sky lanterns in the city, but some provisions were omitted.
During the deliberation, Councilor Diosdado A. Mahipus questioned the ordinance’s provision that would ban the manufacturing, selling and distribution in the city.
Mahipus, City Council chairperson for environment, said the City cannot impose such prohibition since there is no national law that would support it.
However, Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta, author of the law, said the City can impose an ordinance under specific or a territorial jurisdiction, similar to the No Smoking ordinance, which later became a national law under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
But later on, the Council agreed to revert to its original proposal, but added the term “intentional” releasing.
Despite certain revisions, she still thanked her colleagues for supporting her ordinance that aims to address both environment and public safety concerns.
“However, I’d like to clarify that balloons can still be sold, and distributed. The flying balloons lang ang lagyan natin ng regulation,” Acosta said.
She also said the law will penalize those who will be releasing these objects by bulk, especially on ceremonies or events.
“Lucky for us, during the series of hearings, may mga group and association na supportive sa atin. In fact, they do not encourage it, and mga non-flying balloons nalang ang gagamitin nila,” Acosta said.
The proposed ordinance was filed last January, following the attempt of a well-known hotel in Metro Manila to beat a world record by dropping 130,000 balloons as part of its New Year’s Eve countdown.